Can beardies forget you?

[Enzynom]

I had to go out of town due to work for a day and a half. I've had my 2 month old bearded dragon for a good two weeks now and I've been handling him for at least 30 mins twice a day everyday and many times it is more than that. I left him with my friend to take care of him and my friend took really good care of him while I was gone. The only thing was he didn't handle him because he didn't want to lose him, hurt him, or drop him. I came back today after being gone a day and a half which means he wasn't handled for a day and a half. He was so skittish from me when I tried to pick him up which is unusual because he usually comes to greet my hand to be held. Also when I handled him, his stress marks got super dark which is also unusual because he loves to be held. Before, holding him was the only way to get rid of his stress marks. I don't know what could've happened that turned my sweet cuddly beardie into the nervous wreck he is today. Any help?

 

[kingofnobbys]

A day or two is not enough time for a dragon to "forget" you.

I've had wild skinks who I've befriended come right up to me after a winter brumation of 4 months and behave exactly the same towards me and take to handfeeding of insect treats right away when I first met in late August or early September. So they have good memories regard who the person who feeds them is concerned and who they can trust.

I'd say the behaviour was more relocation stress , a double whammy of it for your dragon.

 

[magpieandstuff]

I was away from my beardie for 12 days when he was about 5 months old. He still remembered me when I got back.

 

[Drache613]

Hello,

They normally don't forget you, no. It is likely just from having someone else look after him for a short while that affected him in that manner.
I am sure here soon he will be back to normal. Do you wrap him up in a nice soft fleece blankie every night before bedtime?

Tracie

 

[Enzynom]

There is this grey plush robe that I wrap him up in when I cuddle him at night. He loves it

 

[kingofnobbys]

They do love their comfort and to be made cosy and snuggly .....

For mine it's my old holey threadbare red t-shirt. They all love to wrapped up nice and snug like a baby in it.
They all also love it when I drape the very loose and baggy long sleeve of my fleecy hoody over them when I'm having a snuggle time with them.

 

[LinusTheOrange]

I really wish Linus would start enjoying blankets. He only tolerates the Linus burrito for a few minutes before wiggling out of it. He likes sitting on my chest or shoulder on the couch at night, but not in a blanket.

My uromastyx, on the other hand, loves to be under my shirt against my chest, and will go to sleep that way. When I do that with Linus, it's a no go. Shoulder or bust seems to be his motto.

 

[kingofnobbys]

I really wish Linus would start enjoying blankets. He only tolerates the Linus burrito for a few minutes before wiggling out of it. He likes sitting on my chest or shoulder on the couch at night, but not in a blanket.

My uromastyx, on the other hand, loves to be under my shirt against my chest, and will go to sleep that way. When I do that with Linus, it's a no go. Shoulder or bust seems to be his motto.

Let him enjoy his chest/shoulder against side of neck snuggles, when he's really relaxed is the time put the old T-shirt or blankie on your chest and put him ontop and fold it over him leaving his head out and stroke his back through it, he'll soon come to associate it with comfort and togetherness, especially if it has your scent on it..